


Pages Torn and Frayed

by tryslora



Series: Weavers [7]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Community: fullmoon_ficlet, Gen, Implied Relationships, Moving On, Polyfidelity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-27
Updated: 2013-04-27
Packaged: 2017-12-09 18:11:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/776453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tryslora/pseuds/tryslora
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On days like this, Danny is the only one willing to approach Derek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pages Torn and Frayed

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for Prompt #15 - Moving On at fullmoon_ficlet on Livejournal. There are implications; read into it what you will. As always, I do not own the world or characters of Teen Wolf, I just like to write them.

On days like this, Danny is the only one willing to approach Derek. Scott throws him an apologetic look, then returns to whatever video game he is playing with Isaac. Boyd wisely leaves as soon as dinner is done, and Lydia shoos Danny from where her books are spread over the kitchen table while she studies.

“He’s impossible,” she says. “And if you don’t do something about it, he’ll sulk audibly all night.”

Danny would say she’s exaggerating, but she’s not. Ever since Derek started digging through the CDs he found throughout the Stilinski house, his moods have had soundtracks. _Well if you wanted honesty, that’s all you had to say.._. Apparently it’s a My Chemical Romance kind of night, which is never a good sign. Lydia puts her headphones in, while the betas wince and turn up the sound on the television.

He takes the stairs slowly, letting Derek know he’s coming. He doesn’t bother knocking—Derek didn’t bother closing the door to his room, either. They have a routine by now, and Danny follows the script by taking a seat in the old desk chair, letting it spin slightly beneath his weight.

“Pack two boxes,” Danny suggests. Things are still littered around the room, as if its former occupant might return at any moment, even though it’s already been almost a year.

Derek turns the music up.

“I can’t tell if you’re trying to drown me out, or if you don’t want the betas listening.” Danny moves from the chair to the bed, leaning on his knees as he glances over at Derek. “You can’t keep acting like a sulky child. It’s time to move on, Derek.”

“Heard from Jackson lately?”

It’s going to be one of _those_ nights, where the jabs are sharp and deep. “I almost regret telling you about that,” Danny says dryly. “And yes, actually. I have.”

Derek twists, brows furrowing together as he looks at Danny. “You did?”

Danny nods. He’s been saving this piece of information, knowing it would come in handy. He just thought bringing it out would be his decision, not a defensive move. “Yeah, he emailed me two days ago. He’s… he’s at a school in Minnesota now. In the middle of nowhere, and settling in. He’s pledged a frat—Phi Delt—and he seems happy with it. They’ve got a lacrosse team for spring sports, and he ran cross country last fall. And he’s got a girlfriend, of course. It’s Jackson.”

Because neither of them can imagine Jackson alone. Danny can’t remember Jackson ever being alone; even when they were small, all the girls wanted to be with him. They flocked around him, waiting for him to give any one of them his attention. Jackson needed that… needed to be wanted.

“He coming back?”

Danny snorts softly. “No. So see, I’ve moved on. I’m talking to Jackson, I’ve got a boyfriend, everything’s good.”

“Your boyfriend is sleeping with Scott.” Derek rolls over onto his back, and Danny takes that as a good sign. Body language is everything with Derek; when he’s at his worst, he’s curled tightly around his center, as if Danny might physically stab him with words. Once he starts to relax, the end of the worst is in sight.

“I knew he wanted Scott before we ever got together. It makes things complicated, but it doesn’t change anything.” Danny moves slowly, waiting to see what Derek does before he stretches out on the bed next to him. There are times when Derek wants pack close by, and accepts Danny as a substitute. There are nights when going near him will make him growl and lash out.

Derek accepts his presence, and Danny slowly relaxes, letting the bed hold him up. “So what about you? Find a distraction, Derek. The pack can’t handle your moods.”

“Which is why they send you up.”

Danny laughs, and after a moment, Derek laughs too.

“That’s me,” Danny says. “The wolf-whisperer. You don’t bite my head off.”

It’s a strange friendship they have, but Derek isn’t one for traditional relationships. He wonders, sometimes, if any of the others really _look_ at Derek. Scott can barely see the world around him, and Isaac’s world often narrows down to Scott first, Allison second, and everything else is a distant third. Lydia sees, Danny’s sure of that, but she frames everything in formulae and science and that’s not helpful.

He wishes Allison were here. He thinks that female edge and emotion might help, but she’s back at Brandeis and won’t be home again until summer.

Danny can’t let it go on that long, not if the pack is going to manage to survive. They have nothing to fight but each other, and it’s taking an emotional toll.

He rolls over and pats Derek’s chest. “C’mon. We’re going out.”

Derek catches his hand, traps it for a moment before he carefully pushes it away. “Think your boyfriend will approve of you going in search of a pity fuck?”

“I think my boyfriend has a very large amount of beer and is sleeping in Scott’s bed tonight, so he won’t care.” It’s not a typical relationship, and Danny supposes that eventually that he’ll be breaking up with Isaac, or Isaac will be breaking up with him, but it just hasn’t happened yet. Things will shake out eventually. Danny’s still trying to work out what the new configuration will be.

Danny rolls off the bed and offers Derek a hand which is ignored. Derek comes to his feet easily, standing lightly in front of Danny, hands in his pockets.

“You could tell Jackson I said to come home,” Derek tells him.

Danny shakes his head. “No, I couldn’t. _You_ could order Jackson to come home. You’re his alpha. But I wouldn’t do that. He’d be miserable here; I’m not enough to make up for the lack of not knowing who he is.”

Derek considers him before a long moment, then claps him on the back. “Let’s get you laid.”

It isn’t what Danny meant about going out, but it’s good enough. It’s a start. 

And next time Derek won’t be able to deflect the conversation. 

It’s long past time for them both to move on.


End file.
